Undercard: Mammoth vs. Whistler
MIGHTY MOUNTAIN GOLFSome would call this an unfair fight. After all, Mammoth has only two golf courses including Sierra Star, a Cal Olsen effort that opened in 1999. Whistler boasts four, all by top-shelf architects — Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones II and Bob Cupp — and the latter burns such sumptuous memories on the minds of all who negotiate its mountain-ringed fairways that it alone would make this British Columbia destination a definite must. And Whistler has earned Olympic credentials; it’ll host the 2010 games along with the city of Vancouver, a winding 90-minute drive south. But Mammoth manages to rival Whistler in just about every department, especially all-season outdoor recreation. Skiers consider its extinct volcano as one of the finest collections of deep-powder runs anywhere in North America, and to folks who pine for an authentic wilderness experience, Yosemite’s wild backyard is just one mountain range away. No wonder Intrawest, which has built a mountain resort empire from Colorado to Vermont to Canada, has put its mark on both places by blending their well-known architectural “villages” into the natural landscape with great care, research and keen eye for what visitors want — a heady mix of indoor luxury and rugged outdoor possibility. Alan Kristmanson, director of golf at Palmer’s Whistler Golf Club, the resort’s oldest, which opened in 1989: “When you come to Whistler, there are so many things to do in the summer recreation-wise, besides the golf. You can be entertained for a week or two-week stay — alpine hiking, mountain biking, dining, shopping. And we think the facilities are second to none — some of the top hotels in North America, the top restaurants in North America. So it’s just a great place to come, and you can’t get it all done in one trip. You’ll have to come back a few more times.” Dave Schacht, head pro at Sierra Star by summer, ace ski instructor by winer: “You’re in the middle of nowhere, which is a wonderful thing. You can go hiking, fishing, mountain biking — there’s something for the whole family to do up here.” Got the picture? Good. Let’s go to the cards. The golf: Together Whistler’s fearsome foursome of architectural talent wrote a living textbook on how to build a course to the proper scale in soaring surroundings. Peaks rise 7,000 to 9,000 feet above each course. Big Sky, located 25 miles north of Whistler in the verdant Pemberton Valley, is close enough to Mt. Currie’s sheer cliffs for golfers to hear the low, throaty rumble of rockslides and the hawk’s high cry. Chateau Whistler, meanwhile, is the one true mountain golf experience, terraced along piney slopes, rife with trademark Trent Jones bunkering and trickily-tiered greens, and frequented most often by bears that sometimes venture into the village below. Each architect used the spectacular setting to huge advantage; they frame as many tee shots as possible with jagged peaks and ancient glaciers, then double the effect by reflecting the severe topography in lakes and ponds. Their designs are never dwarfed in scale. They’re enhanced — dramatized, even. It’s the same basic story at Sierra Star: Mammoth Mountain’s hulking, big-shouldered visage chews up the scenery on several holes, so Olsen just went with it, lacing a lovely, not-too-long collection of wonderfully varied holes through the forest of Douglas fir and lodgepole pine, across splashes of wildflower-choked meadow and around mirror-like ponds. In a West filled with cookie-cutter courses, Sierra Star’s killer corridors and occasional kooky special touches deserve a rating as lofty as its fresh-air elevation. At 8,000 feet above sea level, it’s the highest course in California and all but screams at golfers to leave their drivers covered. Same deal for Snow Creek just down the road, which is more of a straightforward meadow experience. Whistler, meanwhile, is only about 2,500 feet up (Big Sky even less than that), so you can go great guns there. Sierra Star is a remote and potent treat, but there’s no getting around the fact that Whistler’s 72 holes of bliss is probably the finest gathering of mountain golf real estate in the West. advantage whistler. The adventurer’s buffet: Like the courses, Whistler’s Village — actually two villages, “Main” and “Upper” — maintain a perfect sense of scale and simply beg visitors to wander from shop to shop, restaurant to restaurant and bar to bar, just as glacier-fed, milky-blue Fitzsimmons Creek twists and tumbles through the valley itself. The entire community is planned to the square centimeter, but always with deference to the granite sentries surrounding every hotel, ski chalet and tee box. And the epic view from atop Whistler Mountain after a 20-minute gondola ride from the main Village is among the most breathtaking sights in North America. Skiers get this view all winter long and for much of the summer; a few slopes stay open for all but a couple weeks in August. In summer they’re filled with mountain bikers, hikers, perhaps a hang glider or two. Of course, Mammoth has all of those elements, with epic views from the top of the mountain that cover hundreds of miles, and for those who choose to don a helmet, a wild ride down via mountain bike. Fishing is at a premium; rainbow trout are in great supply in the Twin Lakes basin just south, and goldens or brook trout can be had in the backcountry. Hikes to Rainbow Falls and Devil’s Postpile reveal the region’s volcanic roots; in town, visitors can walk through a 15-foot-deep earthquake fault. we’ll call it a tie. Creature comforts: By night Whistler serves up a wealth of luxury accommodations. Start at 550-room Fairmont Chateau Whistler (named Canada’s No. 1 Golf and Ski Resort by Conde Nast Traveler), which offers all the amenities a five-star spot should — spa, executive floor with its own dining room, shops, several restaurants and ready golf and ski access. There’s also a wide array of fractionals, condos, ski lodges and rental homes up and down the valley. Restaurants are outstanding, serving seafood (including very fresh sushi), wild game, beef straight from the Canadian plains and enough ethnic choices to keep any city escapee happy. Mammoth’s Village responds with its own culinary lineup, and after a short drive you’ll find even more killer eateries, including Whiskey Creek (a steakhouse staple for going on 40 years) Charthouse seafood joint and some other tasty locals’ hangouts. But Whistler might offer the coolest meal we’ve ever eaten, atop the mountain after a summertime Hummer ride, complete with a stop at the glacier. The salmon feast, prepared on site, is a meal you’ll always remember. Bottom line, if you’re looking for nightlife, both places serve it up in spades. But with Whistler gearing up for one of the biggest international events in Canadian history, we’ve got to give them the nod here. advantage whistler. FG www.mammothmountain.com | www.whistler.com MAMMOTH WHISTLER 10 Setting/Atmosphere 10 reader comments
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Signature SeriesDecember 2007
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